Separating assembly

ABSTRACT

A housing assembly for a separating medium disposed between upstream and downstream conduit members. The assembly comprises a first covering means communicating with the downstream conduit member. A first manifold means is spaced upstream from the first covering means and is connected at its upstream face to a first plurality of concentric cylinders. A second plurality of concentric cylinders are disposed in the annular spaces formed by the first plurality of concentric cylinders. This second plurality of concentric cylinders is connected to the downstream side of a second manifold means disposed upstream of the first manifold means. A second covering means the bottom section of which is disposed upstream of the second manifold means encloses the assembly. The enclosed assembly is sealed by means of a sealing means disposed between the covering means and the covering housing. A separating medium is disposed in the annular spaces formed by the first and second plurality of concentric cylinders. This arrangement provides maximum surface area for separation as well as excellent support for the medium.

United States Patent [1 1 Lamond SEPARATING ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: LeeT. Lamond, Morris Plains, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Celanese Corporation, New York,

[22] Filed: May 9, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 251,669

Great Britain 55/497 France 55/380 Primary ExaminerBemard NozickAttorney, Agent, or FirmThomas J. Morgan; Linn I. Grim; Marvin BresslerApr. 2, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A housing assembly for a separating mediumdisposed between upstream and downstream conduit members. The assemblycomprises a first covering means communicating with the downstreamconduit member. A first manifold means is spaced upstream from the firstcovering means and is connected at its upstream face to a firstplurality of concentric cylinders. A second plurality of concentriccylinders are disposed in the annular spaces formed by the firstplurality of concentric cylinders. This second plurality of concentriccylinders is connected to the downstream side of a second manifold meansdisposed upstream of the first manifold means. A second covering meansthe bottom section of which is disposed upstream of the second manifoldmeans encloses the assembly. The enclosed assembly is sealed by means ofa sealing means disposed between the covering means and the coveringhousing. A separating medium is disposed in the annular spaces formed bythe first and second plurality of concentric cylinders. This arrangementprovides maximum surface area for separation as well as excellentsupport for the medium.

7 Claims, DrawingEigures PAIENIEDAIIR 21914 SHEET 1 UF 2 6 immy;

FIGURE] SEPARATING ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The instant invention is directed to a housing assembly. Moreparticularly, the instant invention is directed to a housing assemblyfor a separating medium disposed therein.

2. Background of the Invention There is much prior art directed toseparating devices such as filters, porous membranes and the like whichare employed to separate one or more components from a fluid stream.Less attention has been paid in the prior art to housing assemblieswhich support the separating medium. A separating medium no matter howeffective, is limited in its effectiveness to the efficiency of thehousing assembly in which it is disposed. A well designed housingassembly for a separating medium provides a large surface area forseparating per unit volume of housing volume. It also providesstructural support for the separating medium to prevent breakage, tears,and the like. In addition, a separating assembly must be effectivelysealed to prevent leakage. Leakage not only results in loss of some ofthe fluid stream being separated, but also may result in the formationof a bypass flow stream whereby a portion of the fluid stream does notflow across the separating medium. An obvious additional desirablefeature of a housing a separating assembly is to provide all thesedesirable features in a compact form.

Although many housing assemblies of the prior art, combine one or moreof these desirable features, very few such assemblies combine all ofthese desirable features in a single unit. Although every separatingassembly is improved by the combination of these features, certainseparating operations require that all four of these features be presentfor satisfactory operation of the separating medium.

An example of an assembly which must include all of these features is ahousing which supports a liquidvapor separating medium disposed in aconduit communicating with a gasoline tank and a vapor sorbing means,such as charcoal canister in the currently built automobile. Theseparating medium permits the flow of gasoline vapors across its surfacebut bars gasoline liquids which would overload the canister. Such adevice is of great importance to the successful operation of thecanister, which is an important air pollution control device. It isevident that this type of assembly must be very compact, disposed as itis in a vapor line under the hood of an automobile. The other threerequirements which exist in all separating operations are clearlynecessary in such an application as that discussed herein.

Other applications in which all of these basic criteria are importantinclude such devices as an automobile air filter. In an air filter thefilter medium, which separates out solid material from the incoming air,must be suitably supported so as to maintain maximum structural strengthand still provide a suitably large surface area per unit volume offilter housing. The relatively large percentage of such filters whichfail in production due to inadequate structural support provides ampleevidence for the desirability of an improved housing for the filtermedium.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention is directed to ahousing assem- 'bly for the disposition of a separating medium whichinstant invention is designed to prevent leakage by means of a welldesigned sealing assembly. All of these necessary features are providedin a compact designed housing assembly.

In accordance with the instant invention a housing assembly for aseparating medium disposed in a conduit line, is provided. The housingassembly includes a first covering means provided with an orifice forcommunication with the downstream end of the conduit in which line thehousing assembly is disposed. A first manifold means is spaced upstreamof the first covering means. A first plurality of concentric cylindersis connected to the upstream face of the first manifold means. A secondplurality of concentric cylinders is disposed in the annular spacesformed by the first plurality of concentric cylinders. A second manifoldmeans, disposed upstream of the first manifold means, is connected tothe second plurality of concentric cylinders at its downstream face. Thehousing is enclosed by a second annular covering means, the bottomportion of which is disposed upstream of the second manifold means andspaced therefrom. The second covering means is provided with an orificefor communication with the upstream conduit member with which thehousing assembly is in communication. A sealing means disposed betweenthe first and second annular covering means, is provided to seal thehousing assembly against leakage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The instant invention may be betterunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the housingassembly of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view of a preferred embodiment of theseparating assembly of the instant invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of another preferred embodiment ofthe separating assembly of the instant invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Turning now to the drawings indetail, a preferred embodiment of the housing assembly of the instantinvention is generally indicated at 10. The assembly 10 includes a firstannular covering means 12. The covering means 12 is provided with anorifice 14 disposed at the center of the annular covering means 12, forcommunication with the downstream conduit member with which the housingassembly 10 is in communication. In a preferred embodiment the coveringmeans 12 is provided with a nipple, a small conduit section or the like16 to facilitate connection of the first covering means 12 with thedownstream conduit member with which the assembly 10 is incommunication. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the firstcovering means 12 comprises a cylindrically shaped cover 17. The firstcovering means 12 further includes an annular extending lip 18 which isintegrally connected to the cover 17. The function of the lip 18 will bedescribed hereinafter.

In a second preferred embodiment of the instant invention, an alternatehousing assembly 100 is provided. Housing assembly 100 differs fromassembly due to a different design of the first covering means whichdenoted generally at 12. The first covering means 12' illustrated indrawings by FIG. 3 includes a top section 17 which comprises an annularplate integrally connected to a cylindrically upstream extending section19. An annular extending lip 18 is again a feature of the first coveringmeans 12. In assembly 100, however, lip 18 extends from the cover 17, asin the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the extending lip 18extends from the upstream end of the cylindrical section 19.

A first inanifold means 20 is disposed upstream of the cover 17 of thefirst covering means 12. In a preferred embodiment illustrated in thedrawings, the first manifold means 20 comprises an annular plate 21provided with a plurality of apertures 22 extending through the plate21. The first manifold means 20 also includes spacing means 24 providedon the downstream face of the plate 21. In a preferred embodiment, thespacing means 24 comprises a plurality of radial extending ribs. Theradially extending ribs 24 may be, in a preferred, embodiment,integrally connected to the plate 21. In an alternate preferredembodiment,- the radial ribs 24 may be connected thereto by suitablefastening means.

A first plurality of concentric cylinders 26 extends upstream from thefirst manifold means 20 to which it is connected. The concentriccylinders 26 are connected to the upstream face of the plate 21 of thefirst manifold means 20. In a preferred embodiment, the first pluralityof concentric cylinders 26 are integrally connected to the firstmanifold means 20. Alternately, the first plurality of concentriccylinders 26 may be connected to the first manifold means 20 by suitablefastening means, the type of fastening means depending upon the materialof construction of the cylinders 26 and the manifold means 20. In apreferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, each of the concentriccylinders 26 has a pleated profile 27. The serrated or pleated profile27 of the cylinders 26 has a fuction that will be described in detailbelow.

The plurality of concentric cylinders 26 defines a plurality of annularopenings 28. In each of these annular openings 28 is disposed a secondplurality of concentric cylinders 30. Each of the second plurality ofconcentric cylinders 30 is again, in a preferred embodiment, providedwith a pleated or serrated profile denoted at 32. The pleatedconstruction of the second plurality of concentric cylinders 30 has thesame function as the pleated construction 27 of the first plurality ofconcentric cylinders 26 and will be discussed below. As shown in thedrawing the outermost cylinder of the first plurality of concentriccylinders 26, denoted in the drawings at 29, extends beyond theoutermost cylinder denoted at 31, of the second plurality of concentriccylinders 30. In addition the innermost cylinder 49 of the secondplurality of cylinders 30, is preferably closed at its downstream end inthe event the assembly is molded. In addition to improving moldabilitythe enclosed innermost cylinder 49 improves the support for theseparating medium to be discussed below.

The second plurality of concentric cylinders 30, like the firstplurality of concentric cylinders 26, is connected to a manifold means.In the case of the second plurality of concentric cylinders 30, themanifold means to which they are connected is denoted at a secondmanifold means 34. The second manifold means 34 again comprises, in apreferred embodiment, an annular plate 35 provided with a plurality ofapertures 36 extending therethrough. As shown in the drawings, thesecond plurality of concentric cylinders 30 is connected to thedownstream face of plate 35. The connection, as in the case of the firstmanifold means 20 cylinders 26 connection may be integral or by suitablefastening means. The second manifold means 34 also includes a spacingmeans 38. The spacing means 38 is provided on the upstream face of theannular plate 35. Again, the spacing means 38, in a preferredembodiment, comprises a plurality of radially extending ribs. The ribsmay be integrally connected to the plate 35 or may be fastened theretoby suitable fastening means. The spacing means 38, attached to themanifold means 34, are provided to provide a space between thedownstream face of the manifold means 34 and the second covering means.The second covering means may take the form of one of two preferredembodiments. In the embodiment illustrated by housing assembly 10,corresponding to the embodiment which employs first covering means 12, asecond covering means generally indicated at 40 is provided. The secondcovering means 40 comprises a bottom section 41. The bottom section 41,preferably an annular plate, is connected, preferably integrally with asecond component of the second covering means 40, a cylindrical section42 which extends downstream from the bottom section 41. The secondcovering means 40 also includes an annular lip 44 which extendsintegrally from the downstream end of the cylindrical section 42. Thelip 44 is preferably provided with a groove 45 to accommodate a sealingmeans to be discussed hereinafter. Communication with the upstreamconduit member is provided by an orifice 46 disposed in the center ofthe bottom section 41 of the second covering means 40.

Preferably, a small conduit section 48, i.e., a nipple or the like, isdisposed upstream of the orifice 46 to provide a convenient connectionwith the upstream conduit member.

In a second preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 and correspondingto the embodiment in which first covering means 12' is employed, asecond covering means denoted by 40 is provided. Second covering means40 again includes a bottom section 41 provided with an orifice 46 in thecenter thereof and a conduit section 48 extending upstream from theorifice 46. The only distinguishing feature of covering means 40, ascompared with covering means 40 is the cylindrical section 42 whichextends downstream from the bottom section 41. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 3 the cylindrical section 42' is shorter thansection 42 extending upstream approximately half way up the assembly 10to meet the cylindrical section 19 of the first covering means 12' toenclose the housing assembly 100. This differs from housing assembly 10in which the junction point for the first and second covering means, 12and 40 respectively, is at the top of the assembly.

As in the case of the assembly 10, the cylindrical section 42' isprovided with an annular extending lip preferably provided with acircular groove which is not shown in detail because it is exactly thesame as the lip 44 of assembly 10.

Housing assemblies and 100 are sealed against leakage by a sealing means50. The sealing means 50, in a preferred embodiment, comprises a gasketor the like. The gasket is constructed of a material which is chemicallycompatible with the stream flowing through the housing 10 or 100. Thatis, the gasket material is inert to the stream with which it is incontact. Using assembly 10 to illustrate the principle of operation, thesealing means 50 is conveniently seated in the annular groove 45'provided on lip 44. The annular lip 18 of the first coveringv means 12fits over the seal compressing it to seal the assembly. In a preferredembodiment, the annular lip 18 is additionally provided with an inwardlyextending annularshoulder 50 which permits snap on and snap off lockingand unlocking of the assembly 10. It should be understood that housingassembly 100 is provided with the same lips to provide a similar seal.

In order to insure that no leakage occurs and to insure uniform flowthrough both manifold means, the manifold means are sealedto thecovering means. This is illustrated in housing assembly 10 by referencenumerals 43 and 47 respectively to indicate the seal between plate 21 offirst manifold means and the first covering means 10 and between plate35 of second manifold means 34 and the second covering means 40. Thetype of seal provided is, of course, a function of the material ofconstruction of the assembly. For example, if the construction is metala tack weld is preferred. If thehousing is plastic, depending on theplastic employed, a solvent weld, an epoxy cement or the like mayprovide a satisfactory seal.

This same sealing of the two manifold means and the covering means isprovided in housing 100 although not shown in detail in FIG. 3.

In another preferred embodiment, not shown in the drawings, the annularlips 18 and 44 of the first and second covering means respectively areprovided with a plurality of apertures and the two covering means areconnected together by a flange means.

The above-described housing assembly 10 may be constructed of metal oran engineering grade plastic material. The selected. material ofconstruction is limited only by the fluid flowing through the housing.Thus, any plastic or metal compatible with the fluid flowing through theassembly may be employed. In addition, combinations of two or morematerials may similarly be employed. Thus, it is conceivable to designthe assembly of a combination of metals, glass and plastics. Among themetals that may be employed in the construction of the assembly 10 areiron, iron alloys, such as various grades of steel, aluminum, copper andcopper alloys and the like. Among the plastic materials thay may beemployed as the material of construction of the housing 10 of theinstant invention are combinations of acrylonitrile, butadiene andstyrene commonly referred to as ABS plastics, acetal polymers andcopolymers, acrylics, alkyd plastics, polyamide plastics, phenolicplastics, polyesters, and polyolefins such as polyethylene andpolypropylene. These plastics and others that may occur to those skilledin the art are characterized by their ability to be molded and are thusparticularly suitable to this application in that the housing assemblyof the instant invention may be made relatively cheaply be moldingtechniques. Among the materials enumerated above, acetal copolymers andthermoplastic polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate areparticularly preferred.

To illustrate the fact that the housing assembly of the instantinvention may be metal or plastic, the crosssectional hatching lines aredepicted in FIG. 2 to indicate a metal construction, while in FIG. 3 thecrosshatching indicates plastic contruction. It should be understoodthat this convention does not limit the design of housing assembly 10 tometal or housing assembly to plastic. It is merely to show thesuitability of metal or plastic as a material of construction in theinstant invention.

The above described design of the housing assembly 10 of the instantinvention is particularly designed for the disposition thereof of aseparating medium which is provided with maximum structural support,maximum surface area for separation and minimum possibility of leakage.The separating medium is disposed across the annular orifices defined bythe first and second plurality of concentric cylinders as shown in theFIGS. 2 and 3. This design provides the maximum surface area forseparation of the stream flowing across its surface. Because theseparating medium is sealed between the first and second covering means,there is no possibility for the fluid to get through the housingassembly 10 without flowing across the surface of the separating medium60. Thus, the housing assembly It) assumes complete separation of thestream by insuring against the formation of bypass streams. Asillustrated in the drawings the outer perimeter of the separating medium60 is sealed between the lip 18 of the first covering means 12 and thesealing means 50. In addition, the separating medium 60 is supported bythe plurality of first and second concentric cylinders 26 and 30respectively. Thus, the unsupported length of the separating medium isminimized.

In operation, the flowing stream moving downstream, as indicated inFIGS. 2 and 3 by the arrow 70, flows from the upstream conduit (notshown) into the nipple 48, preferably provided on the second coveringmeans 40. The nipple 48 directs the fluid upstream of the secondmanifold 34. The stream is thus constrained to flow through theplurality of apertures 36 downstream into the plurality of annularspaces formed by the first and second plurality of concentric cylinders26 and 30 respectively. The flowing stream flows across the separatingmedium 60. The separated stream thereafter flows through the pluralityof apertures 22 of the first manifold means 20 downstream into theoutlet conduit 16 preferably provided on the first covering means 12 andthence into the downstream conduit member.

The serrated or pleated configuration of the concentric cylinders areprovided to prevent the sticking together of the concentric cylindersand the separating medium. If the concentric cylinders are smooth aminimal pressure could force the separating medium against the walls ofthe concentric cylinders leaving no space therebetween for flow of thefluid stream. However, with the employment of a pleated or serratedsurface the same amount of pressure that may cause contact of theseparating medium with the cylinder walls merely causes the separatingstream to contact the cylinders at single points. This contact does notinterfere with the separating operation. Of course, a sufficiently largepressure will cause the separating medium to assume the shape of thepleated cylinders and prevent separation. However, the pressure of thestream flowing across the housing 10 is usually lower than that requiredto cause the separating media to attain a pleated configuration, incontact with the cylinder walls. The significant feature of this pleatedconfiguration is that it increases the allowable pressure that theseparating medium can withstand without in any way changing theseparating medium.

The separating medium employed is a function of the separating operationthat is desired. Thus, in the event that the separation entails removalof solids from a liquid stream, i.e., filtration, the separating mediumwould be a filter paper, a filter cloth or the like. In the event thatthe housing assembly 10 were employed as an ion exchange device theseparating medium 60 is preferably a porous membrane. In the case wherethe housing assembly 10 of the instant invention is employed as an airfilter housing, the separating medium 60 would be a paper filter of thetype normally employed to separate solids from gases. If the housingassembly 10 of the instant invention is alternatively employed toseparate liquids from gases, as in the case of a separating assembly topermit the flow of gasoline vapors but to bar the downstream flow ofgasoline liquid, then a microporous polymeric film material ispreferably employed. Such an arrangement results in a marked decrease inthe amount of gasoline vapors leaked to the atmosphere by preventingagainst overload of the air pollution control devices installed intodays automobiles.

It should be appreciated that the above described preferred embodimentsof the housing assembly of the instant invention are illustrative of thescope and spirit of the invention. Thus, other embodiments within thescope and spirit of this invention are within the contemplation of theinstant invention. The scope of the instant invention should, therefore,be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim 1. A separating assembly for separating two dissimilar materialsin a stream disposed between upstream and downstream conduit memberscomprising:

an outer sealed housing, said housing comprising an inlet annularcovering means, in communication with said upstream conduit member, andan outlet covering means, in communication with said downstream conduitmember, said inlet and said outlet covering means connected together andsealed by a sealing means disposed in a groove provided be tween saidupstream and said downstream annular covering means;

an inlet reservoir for said stream comprising said two dissimilarmaterials, defined by the inside surface of said inlet annular coveringmeans and an inlet annular manifold means, said manifold means extendingacross the inner surface of said housing and spaced downstream of saidinlet covering means by radially extending ribs;

a separating chamber separating said two dissimilar materials in saidstream entering said chamber through said inlet manifold means, saidseparating chamber including a plurality of interconnected annularorifices, said orifices being formed by a plurality of concentriccylinders, said concentric cylinders extending from said downstream endof said inlet manifold means and from the upstream end of an outletmanifold means, said outlet means defining the downstream boundary ofsaid separating chamber, said separating chamber further comprising aseparating medium disposed about said plurality of concentric cylinders,said cylinders having a serrated surface, said separating medium sealedby said sealing means disposed between extending lips of said inlet andoutlet covering means;

an outlet reservoir for said separated stream defined by the downstreamside of said outlet manifold means and the inside face of said outletcovering means, said outlet manifold means spaced from said outletcovering means by radially extending ribs.

2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sealing means isan annular gasket.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the two dissimilarmaterials are a liquid and a gas and said separating medium is amicroporous film.

4. An assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said liquid is liquidgasoline and said gas is gasoline vapors.

5. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inlet coveringmeans comprises an annular cover provided with an orifice in the centerthereof over which a nipple is disposed for communication with saidupstream conduit member and integrally connected cylindrical sectionterminating in an annular lip, said lip provided with an annular groovefor accommodation of said sealing means.

6. An assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein said outlet coveringmeans comprises an annular cover provided with an orifice in the centerthereof, a nipple disposed over said orifice for communication with saiddownstream conduit member, said annular cover including an integrallyextending lip, said lip provided with an inwardly extending annularshoulder, said shoulder extending about the lip of said inlet coveringmeans to hold the outer housing together.

7. An assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein said outlet coveringmeans comprises an annular cover provided with an orifice in the centerthereof, a nipple disposed over said orifice for communication with saiddownstream conduit member at an integrally connected cylindrical sectionextending upstream of said annular cover, said downstream end of saidcylindrical section provided with a lip, said lip provided with aninwardly extending annular shoulder.

1. A separating assembly for separating two dissimilar materials in astream disposed between upstream and downstream conduit memberscomprising: an outer sealed housing, said housing comprising an inletannular covering means, in communication with said upstream conduitmember, and an outlet covering means, in communication with saiddownstream conduit member, said inlet and said outlet covering meansconnected together and sealed by a sealing means disposed in a grooveprovided between said upstream and said downstream annular coveringmeans; an inlet reservoir for said stream comprising said two dissimilarmaterials, defined by the inside surface of said inlet annular coveringmeans and an inlet annular manifold means, said manifold means extendingacross the inner surface of said housing and spaced downstream of saidinlet covering means by radially extending ribs; a separating chamberseparating said two dissimilar materials in said stream entering saidchamber through said inlet manifold means, said separating chamberincluding a plurality of interconnected annular orifices, said orificesbeing formed by a plurality of concentric cylinders, said concentriccylinders extending from said downstream end of said inlet manifoldmeans and from the upstream end of an outlet manifold means, said outletmeans defining the downstream boundary of said separating chamber, saidseparating chamber further comprising a separating medium disposed aboutsaid plurality of concentric cylinders, said cylinders having a serratedsurface, said separating medium sealed by said sealing means disposedbetween extending lips of said inlet and outlet covering means; anoutlet reservoir for said separated stream defined by the downstreamside of said outlet manifold means and the inside face of said outletcovering means, said outlet manifold means spaced from said outletcovering means by radially extending ribs.
 2. An assembly in accordancewith claim 1 wherein said sealing means is an annular gasket.
 3. Anassembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the two dissimilar materialsare a liquid and a gas and said separating medium is a microporous film.4. An assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said liquid is liquidgasoline and said gas is gasoline vapors.
 5. An assembly in accordancewith claim 1 wherein said inlet covering means comprises an annularcover provided with an orifice in the center thereof over which a nippleis disposed for communication with said upstream conduit member andintegrally connected cylindrical section terminating in an annular lip,said lip provided with an annular groove for accommodation of saidsealing means.
 6. An assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein saidoutlet covering means comprises an annular cover provided with anorifice in the center thereof, a nipple disposed over said orifice forcommunication with said downstream conduit member, said annular coverincluding an integrally extending lip, said lip provided with aninwardly extending annular shoulder, said shoulder extending about thelip of said inlet covering means to hold the outer housing together. 7.An assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein said outlet coveringmeans comprises an annular cover provided with an orifice in the centerthereof, a nipple disposed over said orifice for communication with saiddownstream conduit member at an integrally connected cylindrical sectionextending upstream of said annular cover, said downstream end of saidcylindrical section provided with a lip, said lip provided with aninwardly extending annular shoulder.